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Jimmy Williams
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., indicated Monday that significant changes to health care could be on the horizon if Donald Trump wins the presidency, suggesting that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) could be targeted once again.
Speaking at a campaign event in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Johnson told attendees that health care reform would be “a big part of the agenda” for Trump’s first 100 days if he takes office.
When an attendee asked if he planned to eliminate Obamacare, Johnson responded, “No Obamacare,” while rolling his eyes, clarifying that although the ACA is “deeply ingrained” in the system, “massive reform” is necessary.
With just days until the election, Trump has promised to revisit the ACA, claiming on social media that “Obamacare Sucks.” Trump’s campaign has yet to provide specific details, saying only that they are working on “concepts of a plan.”
Health Care on the Ballot
Harris campaign spokesperson Sarafina Chitika responded, warning, “health care is on the ballot.” She cautioned that Johnson’s comments confirm Trump’s goal to “rip away protections from Americans with preexisting conditions like diabetes, asthma, or cancer.”
Johnson, a 2017 supporter of a Trump-backed bill to dismantle key parts of the ACA, did not explicitly call for repealing the ACA in his Monday remarks. His office has since declined to specify which parts of the ACA he would keep, or whether he supports extending ACA subsidies due to expire in 2025.
A Broader Push for Reform
Johnson argued for reducing regulation, saying, “We want to take a blowtorch to the regulatory state,” and added that health care would be a prime focus. Johnson maintained that “taking government bureaucrats out of the health care equation” would strengthen the doctor-patient relationship and create a more “effective, efficient” free-market system.
The speaker’s comments came amid an ongoing push by Republican leaders, including Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., to pass major health care reforms and extend the Trump tax cuts in a single legislative package in 2025.
Challenges for GOP’s Health Agenda
Achieving ACA repeal would require Republicans to win both the presidency and both chambers of Congress. Democrats are expected to block any significant rollback, with many Republicans also uncertain about revisiting the ACA battle. In recent years, the ACA has provided millions with coverage, expanded Medicaid, and mandated protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
Speaking in North Carolina on Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., criticized Johnson’s approach, saying, “We know they’ll do it because if Roe v. Wade can fall, then anything can fall.”
Johnson later sought to clarify his remarks, telling NBC News, “Despite the dishonest characterizations from the Harris campaign, the audio and transcript make clear that I offered no such promise to end Obamacare, and in fact acknowledged that the policy is ‘deeply ingrained’ in our health care system.”
